What You Do Matters

Hello Friends,

How are you doing today? Can you believe that we are halfway through April? A few days ago, as adults were filing important paperwork, others were taking note that April is half-over and that May is just a few weeks away. Do you know what this means? It means that summer vacation is just around the corner… which also means that school is almost over…. which means several months of freedom! Are you getting excited? Until that time arrives, I hope you enjoy the spring season by getting outside!

Today, I want share a little bit about me with you. And in doing so, I hope to leave you with one message. That message is “What you do matters.”

During high school, college, and seminary I worked at my Aunt and Uncle’s upholstery shop just a few streets from where I grew up. For the first couple of months, I was tasked with cleaning the middle shop, taking out the trash, helping pick-up and deliver furniture, pick-up vehicles from car dealerships, vacuuming customer’s vehicles, answering the phone, running to the post office and bank, and doing what no one else wanted to do. A few times, I had to crawl into a semi-trailer in search of material that was purchased decades ago. For those first couple of months, I saw practically every product that was stored in the middle shop before it was fixed and after it was given a new life. Those products kept and have kept the business alive and thriving for more than 50 years.

After a few months of doing random things at the Upholstery Shop, I was finally allowed to take things apart. At times, I was a little too eager to take things apart maybe causing more work for the sewist than needed. I grabbed my staple puller and started removing staples: removing dust covers, burlap, webbing, and material, untying springs, removing horse hair, occasionally dodging items falling out from between couch and chair cushions, removing seats and door panels from vehicles, and taking out boat seats. I was finally moving up in the business!

Once the item was dropped off, material ordered, and an invoice created, it was time to take it apart. Once the item was taken apart, the material was laid next to it, a name was written on both the item and material, and then it sat there until it was time to be completed. After the new cover was made for the item, I got the chance to put it back together. This was the process.

After about a year of tearing things apart, I was finally able to put something together! I finally got to use a stapler hooked up to an air-compressor! I was finally able to put together what I tore apart. It was a whole new world on June 2012! Since that day, I have recovered several kitchen chairs and atamans, replaced foam, re-stuffed couch cushions, recovered antique future, re-tied springs, re-webbed a lot of different kinds of future, re-upholstered church pews and movie theater seats, put together seats in vehicles, and the list goes on.

I loved learning this trade! And I have my Aunt and Uncle to thank for giving me a chance.

But to be honest with you, it really didn’t hit me what I was doing until I walked into a café one day and sat in a booth that I recovered. It was then that I realized that the benchmark for the business, yes was to make money and keep customers happy, but it was to witness how what came in broken and in need of repair returned to its place being able to serve a purpose. I just didn’t recover a booth for people to sit on: I recovered a booth in which people can create memories on as they visit with a friend while sharing a meal.

My Uncle Dale once told me, before he passed away, that what he did for every costumer was more than stitch something up. What he did was bring life back to what brought people memories.

I’m sure in life we have done a few things just because we needed to or because we had to or because we were told to do that thing. We do the laundry, we do the dishes, we clean the house, we do chores, we take out the trash, we do homework, we help our parents, and we care for our friends. We do a lot of things during the day and a million of things during our life time in which we don’t think matter. Much like me when I re-upholstered kitchen chairs: people are just going to sit on them.

But I’m here to tell you that what you do does matter. One day someone is going to look back and look at all the things you have done and realize the impact that what you did has had on their life today. Doing the laundry gave someone clean clothes; donating food to the food pantry gave someone food; helping your parents and friends showed them how much they mean to you; and doing chores sends a message of respect and responsibility. Even giving a hug to someone impacts their life. What you do matters. And not only does it matter, but it leaves a lasting impression.

If you need an example, just think about what Jesus did. Jesus walked this earth nearly 2,000 years ago and his message and love still exist today. What he did back then, impacts us today. It doesn’t matter how big or how small the act, it still impacts many people.

I realized that recovered kitchen chairs and booths gave people more time to gather together and create memories. So share a hug, offer a smile, and let your laughter be heard. Because what you do does matter!

Since graduating from Seminary, my upholstery days are slim: doing a few products here and there. But the skill and the memories are still there. That staple gun that hooks up to the air-compressor is hanging in my garage and my staple puller is in my toolbox next to the pair of scissors my Uncle gave me.

Don’t stop doing what you are doing because what you are doing will have an impact on someone’s life. So, what are you going to do?

Your Friend, Holy Spirit!